James thompson stewart



(No Modvel.) A

J. T.. STEWART. 0R CLOSING VESSELSv GONTAINING LIQUIDS.

DEVICE EOE OPENING No. 577,462. Patented Peb. 23, 1897.

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@gomeo ATTQEJEEK y UNrrnn STATES EATENT muon,

JAMES THOMPSON STEWART, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM MCLEAN, OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR OPENING R CLOSING VESSELS CONTAINING LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,462, dated February 23, 1897.

Application filed J une l5, 1896l Serial No. 595,644. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that LJ AMES THOMPSON STEW- ART, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los -Angeles city, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Device for Opening or Closing Vessels Containing Liquids, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description or specification, refer- Io ence being had to the annexed sheet of drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention, which relates toa new or improved device for opening and closing vessels containing liquids, is more especially adapted I5 to that class of vessels made of sheet metal which are usually employed for the shipment or transport of kerosene and other oils or spirits of a mineral or vegetable character. The contrivances hitherto in use for closing zo and opening such vessels filled with liquids,

as aforesaid, have been in many respects objectionable and defective, more especially in regard to the feature that they admit of considerable leakage taking place during shipz 5 ment or transport, thereby causing not only loss of the liquid, but also incurring the liability of ignition and destruction lby iire of railway wagons, cars, ships,'or other vehicles constructed of inflammable material where- 3o by such vessels are usually shipped or transported from place to place, this being due to the fact that there is a leakage through the hole of the opening or closing contrivances hitherto in use.

3 5 By means of my present invention each vessel after being iilled with kerosene or other oils, spirits, or liquid is closed up by soldering a plate over the filling-hole or otherwise, so that there is not a hole in the vessel dur- 4o ing shipment or transport through which leakage can take place.

The opening and closing device constituting my invention is so constructed that whenever desired it punctures a hole in the can or p 4 5 other vessel by screwing its stem and attachments inward, and on screwing the stem and its attachments in the opposite direction after said hole has been punctured it allows the ,liquid to be drawn from the can as desired. 5o My apparatus consists of a metallic coverin g-plate having a hole at its center which is soldered over the corner of one end or other part of the can from which it is desired to draw off the liquid contained therein. To this metallic covering a light metallic dome is secured, carrying atits outer end ascrewed nut, through which the correspondinglyscrewed stem of the puncturing device passes. The outer end of this stem is provided with a milled head for turning it round by hand 6o in either direction, and its inner end is formed with a sharp conical point which by screwing` the stem inward is forced against the metal sheet of the can and punctures therein a hole exactly corresponding in form and dimension with t-he conical point to such an extent as the conical point may be forced thereonto by means of the action of the screwed stem in its nut. As the conical point forms this hole to exactly correspond with its own contour, 7o the puncturing-point becomes a valve which on being pressed tight into the said seat closes the opening and prevents the kerosene or other liquid from flowing out therefrom. By turning the milled head of the screwed stem in the opposite direction the conical point is withdrawn from the seat, so that the liquid flows out of the said hole into the metallic dome, which is provided with a spout at its bottom for discharging the liquid into 8o a vessel or receptacle placed to receive it.

For the purpose of more effectively closing the punctured hole a disk of cork or other elastic material having a central hole is placed within the dome, which, being pressed by a ange on the screwed stem, becomes closed against the seat formed by the central hole in the circular metallic plate before referred to.

On the annexed sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of my device with 9o the several parts shown in the position they occupy when ready for or during shipment or transport-that is to say, before the puncturing-point of the screwed stem has been used to puncture a hole in the metallic can or vessel. Fig. 2 is another transverse section of the same apparatus, wherein the screwed stem and its conical point are shown as having punctured a hole in the can or vessel. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparoo ratus shown as attached to the corner of an ordinary square kerosene can or vessel.

4the outside end of one corner In the figures the can or vessel is marked A, and liquid is shown as occupying the interior thereof in Figs. l and 2, while the opening and closing device is shown attached to of the can or vessel. I

The opening and closing device consists of the circular metallic plate B, which is soldered to the outside end of the can at its rim C, and this plate is constructed with an annular depression D, Figs. l and 2, the inner edge of which forms the seat against which the elastic disk E, of cork or rubber or its equivalent, is pressed, so as to close this seat after the can or vessel has been pun ctuced in the manner as shown at Fig. 2. At the outer edge of the annular depression D the dome F is soldered. The inner central portion of the dome F carries the screwed nut G, through which the screwed stem II passes. The screwed stem H has a milled head I at its outer end, whereby it is turned around by applying the thumb and finger thereto, and between the screwed portion of the stem G and its point J there is carried the disk K, which as the screw is pressedinward is forced into contact with the elastic ring F, this being therebyr forced upon the seat formed by the recess D. As the stem G is screwed farther and farther inward by turning the milled head II the elastic ring D becomes pressed more tightlyinto the annular seatingD until it occupies the shape and position shown more especially at Fig. 2, where the conical point of the stem G has punctured the hole in the metal plate of the can or vessel, so that not only does the conical point oi' the stem G close the hole formed by it in the vessel after the manner of a conieally-seated valve, but additional security is provided against leakage by the cork or other elastic ring D being compressed by the iiange K. So soon as the conical point J is withdrawn from the hole punctured in the can or vessel the liquid contents thereof iiow out through the conical hole, thence through the hole in the center of the cork or other elastic ring D, and thence into the domed chamber F, from which it flows out by the spout L into a receptacle placed or held to receive it.

IIavingnowdescribed the nature of my said invention and the best system, mode, or manner I am at present acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I desire to observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the invention to be secured to me by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. The device for puncturin g a hole in, and for opening and closing metallic cans or vessels containing kerosene or other liquid-consisting of an annular seat, a cork or elastic ring or disk above said seat, a dome having a screwed nut in the outer end thereof, a screwed stem provided with a milled head at its outer end, and whose inner end is a puncturing-point and valve for closing or opening the punctured hole inthe can-said screwed stein having a flange above the puncturingpoint for compressing the elastic ring against the annular seat, the spout, all operating together in the manner and for the purposes substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ot' a can or vessel an annular seat, a dome, a screwed nut at the center of said dome, a screwed' stem whose outer end carries a milled head, on which stem a flange is fixed and whose inner end is a puncturing conical point which also acts as a valve for opening and closing the punctured hole-the elastic ring between the annular seat and flange upon the valve stem, the spout, all operating together in the manner and for the purposes substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 30th day of April, A. D. 1896, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES THOMPSON STEXVART.

lVitnesses:

W. K. DIAL, Sr. JOHN DAY. 

